The Twilight Thievery Chronicles
by Silvore
Summary: Imagine a world where you have two choices: steal or work for those who steal. When Bella teams up with Edward to steal the greatest painting, will Bella lose herself in the art of thievery? Will she fall in love with the charming rich kid?
1. The Theft

**Hello. I had this idea for a while, and started typing it up while on a road trip. I wanted to post it on fanfiction, and all the characters fit for Twilight. So here it is! Since here Edward is an only child, I will try to find a way to fit in the Emmet, Jasper, Rosalie and Alice. There won't probably be romance, but I'll see wher this goes. I realize almost all characters are Out of Character, but I need that for this fanfiction. ALL **

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I opened the chestnut doors of the Cullen mansion. There sat Carlisle Cullen, the eleventh ranking master thief in the world. He had stolen himself a fortune over the last few years. Master Cullen was now retired, living off of poaching valuable objects.

He was married to Esme Cullen, a very posh woman, who always wanted expensive, grand possessions. They had a son, Edward Cullen, in the same year as I. He never showed any talent, and to me seemed to just be another being that soaks up more money than they need. He showed no talents, and always kept to himself.

I approached Mr. Cullen. He was reading a newspaper, scanning for any robberies, thefts. I cleared my throat. He lifted his head, with a glare. "What?"

I met his glare. "My mother's quilt will be ready in two days time." I waited for a response. He was more interested in the paper than what he was paying for.

"Yes…that will be fine." He turned the page, and I waited. After he seemed to realize I wasn't moving, his eyes narrowed. "You are dismissed."

I exited the room, and started my way down the hallway. I had walked this route many times, and new this mansion inside out. I turned around the corner, and checked if anyone was coming. On cue, a servant entered my line of sight to take Cullen's paper away. We passed each other halfway down the hallway. I stopped, pretending to brush off dust from the gown my mother sewed for me.

I had been planning this robbery for nearly a week. It was exciting to steal from Mr. Cullen, right under his very nose. I usually stole little things, like doilies, spoons, occasionally candles, but this was my first real robbery. Mr. Cullen was a proud man; he set up a grand security system he expected to fool any thief. I planned to foil this system.

Carlisle Cullen was one of the top twelve master thieves in the world. At the top were the Volturi, the family responsible for this world ruled by thievery. They were the rulers of this place, no one ever could, ever would match up to them. It was any thief's dream to steal from the best family of thieves in the world. But I was no official thief; for me thievery was a sport. And I had to settle my field for the Cullen mansion.

My body stood still as I listened intently for the sound of the chestnut doors to close. I smiled at the _click_, and rushed down the hall. Turning the corner of the hallway, there was the door I had set my sights on. I rushed, opened the door, and entered the dusty spare room. Looking around, seeing mops, brooms, rags, and buckets, I knew this was the room.

Stripping off the dress, I felt the gray tights and shirt my mother kept. She would never know I had taken them for this occasion. While I slipped off my shoes, a squeak came from the tile on the floor as my bare foot touched it. Grinning, I stepped off the tile, and lifted it to reveal a passageway. Some of the workers of the Cullens had designed this in case of a fire or emergency. It came out into another room, near where the income of the Cullen's was stored.

I grabbed a bag I had hidden for this occasion, and entered the passageway. I traveled the walk quickly; I had limited time. If I was too late, someone would see me entering the Cullen's dreckhall. All thieves have a dreckhall to store their treasures. Great thieves have many. I would just enter one of the Cullen's semi-valuable dreckhalls. I reached the end of the passageway and looked up. I felt the roof for the tile I was searching for. It lifted out easily, and I lifted myself up into the spare room. It was much like the last, and I had to leave no trace I had been in either.

I slipped on a pair of socks to cover my dirty feet, and quietly opened the door. No squeak came, and I peered cautiously to see if anyone was around. With nobody in sight, I tiptoed down this new hall to another door. This door was the beginning of the alarm for the dreckhall, the beginning of my thievery.

There was a fingerprint reader on the doorknob, ready to set off an alarm if it finds a print it doesn't recognize. If turned, the door will explode, instantly killing the thief. I pulled from the bag a bottle of Thyodine. It was first designed by the gadgeteer of the Volturi to take trick any fingerprint reader by outlining the fingerprint of the last person that touched it. The chef of the Cullen's daughter, Angela, was lucky to find some in the maids' storage room and gave it to me. She was a year older than me, but we were friends since we could talk. I sprayed a few squirts onto the doorknob, and it opened automatically to reveal a dark passageway.

The door shut automatically when I entered, and evaluated my surroundings. Down the passageway were two steel doors with a number keypad beside it. I first had to get down the passageway. It was designed to accommodate only Carlisle Cullen. If he chose to bring someone along, he could command the alarm to recognize another person with just his voice. The marble floor had sensors to determine the being by evaluating the size of the shoe and Carlisle Cullen's weight. The flaw of this was that you could easily cross without touching the floor, if you had the right tools.

From inside my bag, I pulled a mechanic suspend bar. It looked like two short small cylinders with a metal rod in between. I pressed one cylinder above the door I had just passed through, and it stuck to the wall. I hit a small button, and the metal rod stretched farther and farther, until the other cylinder stuck itself above the door across the passageway.

In the bag was a hand bike that was built especially for the mechanic bar. I hooked it onto the bar, and started pedaling. It was easy with my lithe body, and strong arms. I dropped right in front of the door, and folded the hand bike back into the bag.

Now, I had to get the number combination right. I examined the designed, and I found that this was an advanced model. It could hold two combinations, and either could be as many numbers as the user wanted. Mr. Cullen was so prideful; he must use his first name. This was only a hunch, but he used his name a lot in number combinations. I punched in 3-1-18-12-1-19-12-5; with each number representing what number in the alphabet the letter is. C was the 3rd number of the alphabet, A was the 1st, and R was the 18th, and so on. The door opened to Mr. Cullen's dreckhall. I smiled, and entered.

There were paintings, jewels, goblets, swords, even a piano inside the dreckhall. The floors were marble, and the walls painted a deep burgundy. I looked around for the object I was seeking: a small golden goblet. It was bare, except for a blue sapphire on its side. I stuffed it into my bag, and proceeded to the door. It opened automatically, and I just had to repeat everything to get back.

I used the hand bike to get across again, took down the mechanic suspend bar, and squirted some more Thyodine on the door knob again. Once I was back into the hall, I rushed into the spare room, took off my socks, traveled the passageway again, pulled back on my socks and the dress, slipped on some shoes, and checked my pocket watch. I was right on schedule; no one should be in the halls now. I grabbed the bag, and headed for the kitchen. I would be safe there with Angela. Then I could get back home.

I headed for the kitchen, when I bumped into Edward.

_Crap! I'm not supposed to be here! __He's__ not supposed to be here!_

"What are you doing here…what's your name?" Edward asked.

I glared. "Bella. And I was just informing your father of when my mother's quilt would be ready."

"While he's getting ready for his afternoon jog in his room? You know, my father doesn't like servants coming into his room," Edward said. _He has a voice that was so convincing… snap out of it! _I thought.

"I told him while he was drinking tea. I just got lost in this mansion. It's _too_ large," I hissed.

"Sure," Edward said with a hint of irony. _He is so full of himself! He always thinks he's right._

"Well, what are you doing here?" I challenged.

Edward chuckled. "This _is_ my father's mansion. I may go wherever I please. If you really want to know, I came from the kitchen because I felt like a snack. Happy?"

I glared at him, and continued my way to the kitchen. The chefs were cooking dinner, and Angela was sitting on a small stool in a corner. When she saw me, she jumped up and went out the back door. I hurried after her into the servant's chambers.

We met at Angela's room. Her mother was helping mine sew a quilt for the Cullens, and her father was cooking dinner. We were alone

"Did you get it?" she asked excitedly.

I reached into my bag, and brought out the goblet. Angela squealed.

"You really shouldn't be taking things that aren't yours," I heard Edward say from behind me.

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**Please review, tell me if I should continue with this story. I will explain a lot in the next chapter if people want to keep reading this. Hope you liked it and REVIEW! **


	2. The Chat

**Hello! So here is the second chapter of The Tales of Thievery. ****Thanks to . for that wonderful review, and techno96 for reviewing also. I am glad you liked this, and I plan to keep going. So… here is Jasper for the disclaimer.**

**Jasper: Silvore does not own Twilight, Silvore is not Stephanie Meyer, and Silvore only owns the plot. I would like to personally invite Silvore to the Cullen Mansio… HEY! I don't agree to this!**

**Alice: I knew you would say that. I thought it was kinda funny.**

**Silvore: He he… so chapter two**

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I scowled, and turned around. Angela's face was streaked with fear. Smirking in front of me was Edward Cullen with his hands behind his back.

"What do you want, Cullen?" I spat.

"Nothing, Bella, just to know why and how you stole my father's goblet," Edward sneered.

"Aren't you going to go running to daddy and snitch on me?" I said. I could see Angela tip-toe to the door. She yanked it open, and rushed outside. Edward turned to look, and then came back to me. I could tell he expected me to be nervous. But no man had ever made me scared, and the first one to accomplish that wasn't going to be innocent Edward Cullen.

"I won't. What good will come out of that? He will get back another of our many riches, and I won't get to see a beautiful girl again," he smiled.

I rolled my eyes. His words wouldn't charm me. Why would I like any of the spoiled Cullens?

"So what's the catch?" I asked. "I have to wait on your hand and foot? Be your assistant? Get humiliated in public?"

Edward chuckled. "No catch. You just have to explain why you stole my father's goblet, and tell me a bit about yourself."

I raised my eyebrows. I couldn't trust him, but it's worth a shot.

"Okay," I said. I sat cross-legged on Angela's bed and placed my bag next to me. Edward sat in front of me, still smiling.

"I started in the spare closet near your father's study, and I went down-" I began

"-Into the underground tunnel made by my family's servants. You used Thyodine to get pass the fingerprint door knob, used a," Edward fished into my bag to find the device, "mechanic suspend rod and a," Edward went into my bag again to find the hand bike, "hand bike to get across the weighted floor. I know how you got into my father's dreckhall. Your only problem was that you forgot to find a way to rig the video camera in the room."

The video camera! How could I have forgotten that!

"Don't worry," Edward sneered. "I destroyed the tape. The one thing that baffled me was how you knew the code to the door. Mind explaining that?"

So, Edward didn't know everything. "I saw your father use the same code on other things. Even if I didn't, Carlisle Cullen is so prideful, I wouldn't not expect him to use his first name," I explained.

"Ah. You are right though. So why did you do it? Why would a pretty girl like you want to get your hands dirty?" He rubbed my hand affectionately in his. I slapped it away, and glared at him. Edward smirked at me.

"Its fun. I love the excitement and the risk. I love the danger. I adore the thrill of knowing I outsmarted one of the greatest thieves in the world. Happy?" I snapped.

"Content. And I do recall in our deal that you would tell me a bit about yourself," Edward smirked.

"Yes…" I growled. Wait, maybe I can get something out of the Cullen too… "But thieves aren't known for their honesty."

"True, but your not a thief. You do it for sport, not profit. Either way, are you going to not tell me, and let me, _snitch_ is the word you used, to my father?"

"No," I stated. "I'll tell you anything you want to know, if you tell me about the Volturi."

"Hm…," Edward smiled. "Deal, Bella."

I smiled in accomplishment. "What do you want to know?"

"About your family."

I sighed. "I live with my mother, Renee, and her husband Phil Dwyer. She sews quilts and clothes for your family, while Phil is one of your family's carpenters. My father was in law enforcement before the… Volturi. He was killed by them in the battle. I have one brother, Jacob, who was my best friend. Last I heard of him, he was trying to get into the poaching business. Who knows where he is now. That's my family. Anything else you want to know?"

"No, I'll leave it at that," Edward said. "You know about the big war the Volturi had with the country's law enforcement. After the Volturi won, they declared all law enforcement was to be destroyed. Anyone who worked for this was forced to seek another job.

"For a month after the Volturi won, no crime was committed. The country was scared of what the Volturi would do if they found out about it. Then, one man chose to challenge this family and commit a crime. He stole from many houses, and when someone dared to inform the Volturi of this, they dismissed it.

"A crime wave evolved because of this. The Volturi didn't mind if anyone committed theft, but suicide bombings, murder, and kidnappings were severely punished. So, soon, many stole, and the world became what we know of today: a place where you have two options: steal, or work for those who steal."

Wow. "I want to know about the people _in_ the Volturi. I've heard all that before," I lied.

"Oh, yes," Edward said. "There are three in the Volturi: Aro, Marcus, and Caius. All are very skilled in thievery, but Aro is the best. He is the leader of the group. He has such great talents, he would know how to foil a lock or alarm just by looking at it. Marcus is the brains behind it all. He makes the plans, and has one of the highest intelligence ever. Caius is the people person. He can use his charisma to manipulate anyone, and knows exactly how the human mind works. Him and Marcus's talents combined would result in being able to figure out what a person would do in a given circumstance. The have a line of bodyguards, including Jane, Alec, Demetri, Felix, Chelsea, Afton, Heidi, Corin, and Santiago. All are skilled very well in arson and combat. There is also Renata, Aro's personal guard, who would give her life for him."

I nodded. "Thanks. You should get going, your parents will be wondering where you are."

Edward smiled. "Right. He got up and went to the door. "See you around, Isabella." He exited, and left me there in confusion.

_How did he know my real name?_

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**Wow. A lot of EdwardxBella action there. This was a good chapter on my opinion. Tell me what **_**you**_** think. REVIEW!**


	3. The Combat

**So… Huh… ****thanks to i like apple pie for reviewing (thanks for being the only ONE who reviewed) Here's Alice with the disclaimer:**

**Alice: What Jasper said last time**

**Silvore: HEY! I don't pay you to slack off!**

**Alice: You don't pay me at ALL!**

**Silvore: I was going to give you a couple hundred bucks…**

**Alice: No you weren't! I would have seen that.**

**Silvore: … CHAPTER THREE!**

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I lied there on the bed, wondering how Edward Cullen knew my real name.

I heard a creak at the door, and saw Angela peering in. "Is he still here?" she asked.

I sat up. "No, Angela. It's safe."

I heard my friend let out a breath. "Is he going to tell his dad? Cause I don't want to get my father fired…"

"No," I said calmly. I stood up and headed for the door.

"Wait! He let you off easy? Did he make you do something for him?" Angela shouted.

I turned around, "No, I just had to tell him about my family." I left out the part about the Volturi.

Angela's face was plastered with a mischievous grin. "Ooh, Edward Cullen _likes_ you…" Angela said.

"What?" I shouted in disbelief. That spoiled brat? He probably uses his "charms" on every girl he meets.

"Of course!" Angela got up and pulled me to the bed. "A cute guy catches you stealing his stuff, and he uses it to make you tell about yourself? You are so clueless! I wish Edward Cullen liked _me._"

"You actually _like_ Cullen? He's a spoiled brat who thinks he can get anything and anyone he wants. I'd be happy if I never saw him again," I said. I got up and left before Angela could say anything else.

**=-=-=(Edward's POV)=-=-=**

I smiled as I left the servant's quarters. My smile dropped after a while. Why didn't she like me? I've charmed every girl I met and they fall to my feet. I guess Isabella Swan would be a challenge.

I chuckled. I'd looked her up on the citizenship list before I followed her. I knew I would leave her wondering about me if I used her real name. But that still wouldn't be enough to win her over…

I guess I'd have to go to some great measures to win Bella's affection. And the only way is if I spent more time with her.

I jogged through the garden, and entered the mansion through the front door. I was heading to my room when my tutor stopped me at the stairs.

"Cullen! You're late for combat training!" Mr. Molina, my tutor barked.

I rolled my eyes, and headed to the gym. I was lousy at combat. The only reason I did it was because my father expected me to become a professional thief. I did not have the body or reflexes to be good at combat.

I entered the gym to see my teacher, Mr. Raken, lifting weights. I was met with a glare when he saw me. He put the iron dumbbells down, and wiped off the sweat on his forehead with the back of his hand.

"You're late, Cullen!" Raken barked.

"Dear me, I didn't notice! I thought we always started class fifteen minutes after three," I replied with irony.

Raken glared, and gestured with his head to the training ring. I walked towards the ring, and he followed me.

"Choose your weapon," he grunted, and picked up a sword from the weaponry pile. I turned around, and pondered what to pick. There were swords, daggers, bow and arrows, spears, tridents, kukri knives, maces, clubs, axes, crossbows; almost any weapon you could think of.

"What ever happened to good old fashioned guns?" I muttered.

"The Rogues," Raken spat with disgust. "The son of a – _they _outlawed guns. Thought it was inconvenient for people to be able to kill them with such a long range weapon. The cowardly bastards."

I shrugged, and chose a spear. Raken groaned.

"If you want to get good, you have to keep with the same weapon. Take the Kukri knives, like last time."

I dropped the spear, and picked up the knives. I twisted them around in my hands, and entered the ring.

"Let's start with defense. I'll attack," Raken barked. He unsheathed his metal sword, and jabbed it towards my stomach. I stepped back lazily, thinking about Bella. _How would I get her to like me?_ Raken swiped towards my left side, and I ducked. _Maybe I could – _My thoughts were cut short when Raken swiped me to my right. I tried to catch the sword in the bend of my Kukri knives, but it was already at my side. Raken stopped just before the blade could touch me.

Raken's eyes narrowed. "You're not paying attention, Cullen! Let's try offense. Attack me!"

I swiped at Raken with little effort, and he easily dodged. I had better things to do than try and win a fight I knew I would lose. I lazily swiped again, and Raken blocked with his sword. I could see his frustration boiling up; his face was getting redder by the minute. _If I'm not careful, he might just let the blade cut me._

Then the blade of the sword was at my neck. It seemed he did have enough self control to stop himself from cutting off my head.

"What is so important," Raken barked through his clenched teeth as he put down the sword, "that you won't even try to stop yourself from getting killed!"

"I wouldn't have been killed. It's just you, Raken."

"That's _Mr. _Raken. And if this was a real battle you would have gotten slaughtered! You need to pay attention, Cullen. Your lack of it will earn you a one way ticket to the grave. Maybe we should try-"

The sound of the door opening interrupted Raken's lecture. I smirked, and turned to see who was there.

"Still as horrible in combat as you always were, little brother," said a brown haired girl with an angelic face.

"Alice?"

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**Sorry for not updating. I had this big French project to do. So I hope you liked the chapter. I have a link to a picture of Kukri Knives on my profile. Silvore**


	4. The Agreement

**Hello Guys! Sorry I didn't update in a while. Life's been kinda hectic. My annoying English teacher's making us write historical fiction pieces, AND make a book trailer of a book we read (as a group). I got the Book Thief, and I hated the book. If you like it, PLEASE tell me why. **

**I am REALLY sorry for not updating in so long. I don't really expect you to forgive me, but heres my compensation. (The chapter)**

**(A song to listen to while reading this: Alice, Avril Lavigne)**

**Superbia est Nex**

"Alice?" I said in disbelief, staring at the door of the room, where my sister stood in a thin, chocolate dress.

"The one and only, Ed." Alice walked up to hug her brother.

"But," I said, "I thought you became a loner thief?"

"Yes, but I always have time to visit the Cullen's heir. Of course, father would never let you just _have_ the fortune. Little Ed's gotta earn it."

"Cullen," Raken groaned impatiently.

Alice's gaze fell on the combat trainer. "Hello, Kline. I see you're still trying to teach hopeless Ed."

Raken jumped out of the ring and walked toward the woman. "Alice," he said, kissing her hand.

Alice smiled. "Is Ed coming close to being able to win a fight with me?"

"No," Raken barked. "He lacks motivation."

_Motivation... hmm... _"Maybe I just need a fighting partner, one who I am not sure will beat me," I cut into the conversation.

"A fighting partner?" Raken growled. "Where will you get one of those?"

"A girl," Alice said. "One who's mother works here. Isabella Swan." Raken stared at the woman in disbelief. "Oh, Kline, didn't you assume I had pathyl installed between my brother and moi?" Pathyl is a system that allows you to share thoughts with whomever has installed it with you.

I decided to use pathyl to hear what my sister was thinking. _Edward, don't get your hope's up. Keep it professional!_

"Okay, get this girl to work with you, and come back immediately! You start today."

I smiled. Now, I just have to get Bella to spar with me.

=-=-=-(Bella's POV)-=-=-=

I wandered through the halls, with nothing to do. I had left Angela in my room, and decided to wander the halls of the Cullen mansion.

I turned a corner, and proceeded down the hall. I stopped; the sound of footsteps began a crescendo. I turned the doorknob of the closest door next to me. Surprisingly, it opened.

I had entered a room fit for a princess. It was humungous; the ceiling must go right through the roof. The walls were a light beige, and the floor soft white cotton. There was a very lavish bed that was so neat, nobody must have slept in it for weeks. There was a giant glass door leading to a balcony. I slowly walked towards the doors, and opened them using all my might. They slid open easily, and I dashed into the balcony. I hid behind a pillar, and heard the door open.

I peeked, and saw a young woman with brown hair circling her angelic face. Her dress was thin, but not tight.

She walked towards the foot of the bed, and dug under it and retrieved a small black box. She pressed her fingertips on the top, and a hologram of numbers appeared. The woman rapidly punched in numbers. _340298153... _I tried to remember them, but I soon lost track. Soon, the box popped open, and she reached inside. She pulled out a black sphere, reached her hand back in the box, and pulled out...

_A trijewel? I thought Garon Salvier was the only one for horse-paths_**[1]** _who had one! _I gazed at the girl, the trijewel spinning in her hand. It was a long metal flower, with a fusion of sapphire, ruby, and emerald in between the smooth, metal petals.

My mouth hanged agape, as the woman held the flower up to gaze at its beauty. She stopped looking at the jewel when her vision turned towards the open balcony door.

_The open balcony door! _I ducked my head back, and my hand leaped to my mouth. _Oh hynes_**[2]**_, hynes hynes hynes._

The woman was starting to head towards the door. I looked at my options: get found out or...

_Oh no. Well, here goes. _I dashed forward and did a flip off the balcony. I fell on my back on a neatly trimmed hedge, and a hand pulled me off just as the woman peered down to where I just lay.

Edward Cullen pulled me below the balcony, and his hand was firmly grasped around my mouth. He breathed into my ear, "Don't. Move." His hand released from my mouth, and he turned me around so I was facing him.

"You don't want Alice to catch you spying on her. That's when an angel becomes a demon."

I slapped Edward's hands away. "You know her?"

"Of course," Edward stated. "She's my sister."

_Sister? _"Did you simply come here to snatch me from the fern, or is there a real reason you came to get me?" I asked

Edward smiled. "How would you like to be my combat partner?"

"Combat?" I repeated, my mind instantly awake with new thoughts. "So we would... spar?"

"Yes," Edward spoke. There was a faint smile on his face, and I did not want to know why.

I smirked. "You're on, Cullen."

When we entered the combat room, there was a buff, bald man, throwing a knife around, make various swipes at an invisible enemy.

Edward cleared his throat. The man turned around, and his eyes narrowed as he caught sight of me.

"What weapon do you use, girl?" he bluntly asked me.

I ignored his question, and looked at the pile of weapons near the side of the room. I had never really combated with anyone, but I did do some practice with some kitchen knives Angela lent me. I chose a pair of curved knives, and twisted them to get a feel of the weapons in my hands. I turned to look at the man, but his gaze was of burning ice.

Edward picked up a wooden spear. I recognized that one. The wood was made from an artificial material, so impenetrable it couldn't be broken.

"Okay, girl, listen up," the man barked at me. "You will start on defense, and Cullen will attack you."

Edward entered the rectangular ring, and I followed him. "What's your name?" I asked the buff man.

"Kline Raken, third general of the Volturi war." He wore a contempt look on his face as Edward and I got ready. "Ready... Start!"

Edward swung a strong, but predictable shot to my stomach. I countered with a swipe of one of the knives. He aimed for my neck next, but I ducked and swiped out a leg to trip him. Edward fell with an "Oof!", and looked up at me, chuckling.

I turned to look at Raken, who was leaning against the top rope of the ring. His scowl seemed to linger at a smirk. "Good, girl-" Raken started.

"Swan," I interjected.

"_Swan_. Try offense this time. And I _wouldn't_ lose," Raken threatened, standing up straight. My lips tightened, and I turned back to Edward. He was up on his feet, smirking.

"Wipe that smirk off you're face, boy!" Raken barked. "Start!"

I swiped at Edward's front with my right knife, but he blocked with his spear, not a second too soon. _Slow, _I thought.

I did a fake parry to his side, and then raised my other blade to his neck, the sharp edge resting just light enough on his neck to not raise blood. He turned to look at me, and I noticed fear and alertness in his eyes for just a second, then the familiar mischief returned.

He knocked my arm away with the spear, and swiped at my knees. I did a flip over him, and held the back of his neck with the bends of the knives. I leaned closer to the side of his head, and whispered, "I. Win."

I heard sarcastic applause coming from Raken. "Cullen is not difficult to beat. Let's see if you can defeat me." He pulled out a long sword from the sheath around his waist, and stepped into the arena. Edward walked out, grabbed a bottle of water, and got in a good spot to watch.

I cleared my mind, and got ready for his attack. I tried not to think at all; just let my body do all the work.

Raken swiped at my neck first. I hopped back and blocked with my knives. Raken counterattacked much faster than Edward, and his swipes were a lot more sharp and quick. I was forced to have to counter quicker, and I began to sweat. With my clothes sticking to my body, I knew I had very slim hope. I took a chance, and tried to trip Raken. He jumped, and I took the chance to kick him in the stomach, sending him to the floor. With the knives, I twisted his sword out of his hand, and trapped his wrists to the floor with the knives. I realized that I was breathing heavily. It all rushed to my head at that moment: I had defeated a general in combat. Shocked, I got up and walked out of the ring.

As I left the room, I saw Edward staring at me in disbelief. His usually calm face stunned, his eyes were wide and his face pale.

As I left the room, I ran down the hallway, and stopped as I turned the corner. With my back against the wall, I thought about what had happened. _How did I do that? I couldn't have done that. How did I do that?_

I heard footsteps approaching, and before I could run, a cold hand grasped my wrist.

When I turned, I was face to face with Edward. His face was stony and emotionless.

"You're good," he finally said.

"Thanks?" I guessed.

"You have talents," Edward inquired, letting go of my arm. His hand was rubbing his chin, his face in a contemplating state. "_Thievery_ talents. I could use you."

"_Use_ me?" I said, angered. "Is that all you want from me? My 'talents'?"

"Of course not," Edwards face changed to one of mischief and inquiry. "Haven't you ever wanted a place in this world of thievery? Haven't you ever wanted to be known, and respected, and powerful?"

My brain pulled me to say no, but my gut disagreed. It was true; I had always wanted to be someone in the world. I wanted my name to mean something to more people than just my family.

"Yes," I said reluctantly.

"I could help you," Edward said. He pulled a scrolled up paper from inside his cloak. Unfurling it, there was a blurred painting and the words "The Arthemena" written clearly above it. "Have you heard of this?"

"'The Arthemena'?" I asked. "No."

"This is the talk of all thieves right now, even the Volturi," Edward hissed. "Its said to be one of the most magnificent paintings created. But no one has ever seen it, and no one knows where it is. I have a lead, but I don't know if its a dead end."

It surprised me that Edward, who seemed like a spoiled rich kid, had done so much work on this painting.

"Wait," I said, my eyebrows furrowed in thought. I held up a hand, and asked the one thing that was questioned in my mind. "What do you want _me _to do? _Steal_ it? I've never stolen anything," I lied.

"Really," Edward said in a contemplating tone. "So you _didn't_ break into my father's dreckhall, steal a goblet, and beat my combat fighter in you're first time at sparring?"

My jaw dropped as I realized what he said. _I had really done all of that?_

Edward started again, "I have known many professional thieves, and you have talents that might even pass theirs. Together we might be able to steal the Arthemena."

I wanted to agree, but I didn't want to know what would happen if I was caught with Edward, plotting over how to steal a painting. I didn't want to get my mother fired.

"I'll have to think about it," I told Edward.

"No need," a feminine voice said from behind me. "You're little 'plot' has come crashing down."

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**Hey! First,**

**[1]****Horse-paths are like miles or kilometers.**

**[2]****Hynes is a curse word, like crap**

**So I hope you liked the Chapter! Review!**

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**Just kidding. To compensate for not updating in a while, I'll keep going.**

**Superbia est Nex**

I turned to face the angelic form of Alice standing behind me.

"Edward," she said, nodding to her brother. Her gaze darkened when she saw me. "Swan."

_How did she know my... _Edward cut into my thoughts. "Yes, Alice?"

The woman started walking around me. I could feel her eyes examining me, judging me. "So you're teaming up with her to try to steal The Arthemena?"

"Its not you're business Alice," Edward coolly responded.

"Sure, Ed. But I'm curious to know why you want to team up with a measly _nobody_," Alice said. My blood began to boil.

"Just go, Alice," Edward said through clenched teeth.

"Oh, but I can't just let you go and do this. I'm _going_ to tell father," Alice said maliciously.

"Go ahead and try," Edward responded. "I'm of age now. Father would be more than happy to know that I am starting to follow in his footsteps."

Alice glared. She was silent for a minute, but then she left.

"Good luck, _nobody_," she called over he shoulder.

I turned to look at Edward, and his face was filled with frustration. "Sorry about that, Alice can be-"

"I'm in," I stated.

Edward's brow furrowed. "What?"

"I'm in. Now, we have a painting to steal."

**Okay, hoped you liked that. Oh my god, Alice is a _b**** _in this! I know everybody's really out of character, but remember why. Thanks for reading, and if you want another chapter, review!**


	5. The Training

**Hey Guys!**

**Sorry for procrastinating so much. I know it's my fault. I've decided that I'm going to try to get up more chapters, especially on weekends. So hopefully, you guys will be hearing of more chapters from me. Since its been so long, here's a reminder of the last chap:**

_I turned to look at Edward, and his face was filled with frustration. "Sorry about that, Alice can be-"_

_"I'm in," I stated._

_Edward's brow furrowed. "What?"_

_"I'm in. Now, we have a painting to steal."_

**Hope you like this chapter! I started this a while back, but it got deleted on the computer! Yes, very sad. But hopefully, this chap will be better than the old one! Enjoy!**

**Superbia est Nex**

"Where do I start?" I asked Edward.

Edward, speechless and flabbergasted for a moment, quickly returned to his state of poise. He smirked dangerously. "You start in the Death Room."

Confused, I opened my mouth to ask what the Death Room was, but his finger was put to my lips. _Tolv, _**[1] **_why is his finger so soft? It's like my mother's!_

"Come," he whispered, with a nod of his head. Edward turned on his heel, and started walking quickly down the corridor.

I rushed to catch up with him. "Is this some kind of training room?"

He turned his head, not slowing his pace. "Yes."

"But I don't need to train—"

He stopped abruptly. I turned to face him, silently asking him why he had stopped.

"See this man?" He asked, turning towards a painting, framed by a mahogany wood.

I stared at the painting; I had lived here all my life, yet I had not once seen it. Well, then again, I never notice any of the paintings anyway. On it was an old man, who looked quite short for the age he represented. He had wrinkles all over his face, which was the only piece of skin he showed. He wore a dark coat, with a tight black undershirt peeking from it. I brought my hands up to my stealth suit, which I always wore underneath my regular clothes, which today was an elegant sweater my mother had designed, and long, dark brown pants. The mysterious man wore black gloves, quite unusual to the gloves more commonly worn. The painting cut at his torso, and his hair was black, but had fallen out in numerous places.

"Guess the age of this man," Edward commanded, pointing at the painting once more.

"68."

Edward smiled. "On the contrary, this man is _34._"

My face scrunched up with confusion, thinking of what possible way he could have prematurely aged.

"Lemus. The first thief since the Volturi regime. One day, it is said that he just woke up, and decided to plan a heist. _This_ is what happens if you don't train."

I turned to see Edward smirking again. He stood still for a moment, and then was off down the corridor once more.

After the long walk (or jog, as it had been for me), we finally stopped at a door. There were no handles, no entrance keypad, and nothing to indicate that it was going to slide open.

"_Superbia est Nex_," Edward hissed to the door. It stood frozen.

Edward scowled. "Alice must have changed the password before she left." He stood there for a minute of muttering to himself, until he found an answer (to a question I had no knowledge of). "Amateur, no wonder she changed it to this. _Xen tse Aibrepus._"

The door slid open, and a space of black nothingness appeared. If I had taken two steps into it, I would have surely fallen into a bottomless pit to my death. I examined the corridor carefully, when I was pushed inside. I braced myself for the fall, for death, hating Edward and realizing he was just waiting for a chance to get rid of me.

I fell down, and hit something solid. I felt around, and there was a floor. I looked up to see Edward stepping around me, offering a hand to help me stand up. I got up on my own, and his hand coolly retracted. He walked down the…. Room I guess I could call it. Eventually, he waited, and I started to follow him, antsy about walking on a floor I could not see. Suddenly, he stopped, and I froze mimicking him. Edward reached into his pocket, and took out a glass pen.

"A retacion pen…" I gasped. "I thought those didn't exist."

Edward smiled. "You have a lot to learn, Bella." He took the pen, and drew a rectangle into the air, the size of a door. It glowed for a moment, and then he pushed it open. It swung, revealing a room like one I had never seen.

The room was enormous, with endless training courses to take. It was deserted, but the room hummed to life when it realized we were there. There were monkey bars so far apart it seemed impossible to get past, with venomous snakes beneath it; swinging razor blades and sealed metal doors that would take skill and speed to get past; red laser rectangles moving in a small space of room, which would take a true master to maneuver. But the most interesting to me, was a small area with a black orb hanging from the ceiling.

"Wow," I said awe.

"Yes, it is," Edward said from my left. "Let's get you started."

For the rest of the afternoon, I was tested in my speed, thinking ability, reaction, precision, stealth, and agility.

"Here, you'll have to be quick," Edward commanded from the sidelines, once I had changed into my thievery suit. "You have to maneuver throughout the course, all the while knowing that you will be sealed in by two metal doors if you don't get out fast enough." I took a deep breath, shook out my arms, and told Edward I was ready.

"Ready," he said, holding a stop watch that hung from a hook on the wall. "Go!"

I stepped into an empty, metal, rectangular room, and felt the floor shift a bit where I stepped down. I looked down and realized I had stepped on a button. There was a rumbling, and the door behind me shut immediately, and one on the far end of the room started to close downward.

I raced forward, when two razor blades attached to a metal pole swung hidden from the walls beside me in hopes of cutting me in half. I jumped into a somersault, and an explosion went off just where I had been a second ago. I jumped up and started to run when a barrage of arrows came horizontally from the walls beside me. I ducked, and started to move forward a bit more carefully, and a wall of razor sharp metal came down vertically in front of me, cutting off my route. It slid up again, and crashed down a second later. I planned my timing, and leaped through, the blade almost cutting off the tip of my sock. The end was in my sight, and the door was almost coming closed. I dashed towards it, only to have circular jagged blades of metal dart out from the walls in multiple different heights. I flipped, jumped, leaped, somersaulted, having only one blade dash across my arm, ripping the suit. At the end, the door almost completely to the floor, when the one second it took me to say "Ow" caused the door to seal shut.

"Are you fenting **[1] **kidding me, Cullen!" I screamed in rage. I heard chuckling as the door slid open to reveal the smug jerk.

"3 minutes, 43.96 seconds..." Edward replied, looking at the stopwatch. "Mediocre, for your first try."

I glared at him, gritting my teeth. "Can I get any help for this?" I asked, gesturing at my cut arm.

He smirked, pulling his jacket and shirt off. He tore a piece of it to wrap around my arm, and put back on his jacket.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not attracted to you, okay?"

A flint of . . . surprise and hurt, I would say it was, went through those green eyes for a fraction of a second. "Oh?" he replied with mild sarcasm.

Before I could respond with a remark, he turned his back to me, looking through the Death Room. "Lets get on; we have a lot of training to do."

At the end of the afternoon, I was exhausted, and severely hurt and worn out. Edward had made me go through the first test over and over until I got a time under two minutes. It would have taken only a short time, if Edward had not kept changing the traps and hazards. After about an hour later, he made me go through a balance and strength test. In this course, I had to get from one end of a course to another suspended about 20 arm-lengths in the air, with only long metal bars to assist me. That took less time, but still left my arms and legs sore. Next, we moved on to a precision test, where I had to shoot darts at multiple enemies that tried to bombard me, but the only place vulnerable on them was their mouths. The enemies were simple retagraphs, tangible beings that were three dimensional (and hurt you like hell), but could be turned off with the hit of a button. A button that _Edward_ was holding. When I had kind of mastered that, I moved on to weapon combat with another retagraph, this one much like Kline had been, but a bit, well, better. At the end of this, my one injury on my arm had multiplied all over my body, and Edward wasn't as kind about giving treatment on those as last one.

Edward insisted after the weapon combat that I keep going, but I refused. Tired, I looked through the room, my eyes setting again on the area with the black orb on the ceiling. "What's that?" I panted, pointing towards the orb.

Edward looked, his gaze darkening then lighting up. "Watch and learn," he smirked, heading towards the place.

"Commission Code Number 33247," Edward spoke to the wall. The dark orb turned to clear glass, and a computerized voice came from nowhere. "Item of insistence?" it spoke.

"Trijewel." My eyes widened, but I quickly made them returned to normal, when he turned back to look at me. "My favorite jewel," he called back to me. "Besides you." _He probably doesn't know that Alice is hiding one in this very house, _I realized.

A cylindrical platform appeared with the item right beneath the now clear orb. Edward reached into his pocket (how many things does he have in there?) and took out a thin cylinder shaped much like the retacion pen. He set it on the floor, just outside where the area was defined with metal floor out of the rest of marble. It pointed a clear red laser of light at the orb, which revealed rapidly moving lasers surrounding the trijewel. I realized what it was.

"It's a protection trap." I said out loud. The lasers would trigger an alarm, and keep the trijewel from getting stolen.

Edward, unfazed by my comment, continued on his work. He pushed a button on the cylinder, and the lasers stopped suddenly. I expected Edward to start darting around the frozen lasers, but instead, he pressed the button on his jacket. The lasers suddenly started bending around an invisible sphere that was inhabited by Edward. He walked to the trijewel, and I expected him to grab it, but he stopped suddenly. Examining what must have been a retagraph, he stood for about only 1 minute before getting ready to grab it. He pulled out a needle, poked it, and then lifted it up. I winced, waiting for the alarm to go off, but it didn't. Edward returned through the maze of lasers, and approached me.

"For you, madam," he said, handing me the metal flower. I rolled my eyes, took the trijewel, and through it through the lasers, vanishing as it reached the cylinder. It immediately set off an alarm, and the whole area was covered in a blinding light. When I looked up, black soot covered the small square, and then it returned to normal, the clear orb returning to its dead black state.

Edward smiled at me. "I think that's enough for the day." He exited the Death Room, and I could only hear a solemn statement.

"Change password to: Isabella Swan."

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**[1] Again, is curse words. Since the Volturi is like the leader, Tolv is an anagram of Volt (without the "uri). Fenting I just made up**

**Aww, nice love stuff. I guess this is turning into a one-sided thing, with **_**Edward**_** wanting **_**Bella**_**. How many fanfics have you read with that? No, seriously, if you have, please tell me, because I really want to read them. Sorry for the long update, hopefully my timing will get better. I'm in a new resolved hype. Hope you like the chapter, and please, review! If I get 5 reviews, I will reveal what Superbia est Nex means. For all who review, I'll read their stories (and review that), and mention them in the next chapter. So... you know, that little gray button down there is asking to be clicked. So help him out.**


	6. The Questioning

**I told you I would update fast! That is what I would have said if I posted this two weeks ago. I have a habit of getting off task a lot… I really have to do something about that. Anyway, here we go!**

**Superbia est Nex**

"Stop, let me catch my breath," I panted at Edward. He sighed, and shut down the retagraph. After a few moments, I straightened up, and stared at Edward. "What's the point of this?" I asked. "We don't even know where the… Arthetis, painting is."

Edward shook his head in mild annoyance. _"Arthemena. _And you're wrong."

"Wrong?" I asked stupidly.

"I have a lead on the Arthemena. But it's probably a dead end," Edward said nonchalantly, flicking through the retagraphs on his control pad.

I glared at him with malice. "Well, why didn't you TELL ME?" I shouted.

Edward brushed some of my spit off his lapel. "I didn't think it was important, it was only a lead—"

"Only a LEAD?" I shouted once more. "I have been training my butt off every day for two weeks straight, so I _think_ I would like to know when there's a possibility we might be able to find the actual thing I'm training my ass off to STEAL!"

Edward smiled. "Okay."

Disbelief slapped me in the face. "Okay?"

"Okay. It's a knife seller on the outskirts of the Maltore area. I heard that someone he knew let slip that she knows a lone thief after the Arthemena," Edward said.

"Um…" I responded unsurely. "And _why_ do we need to find this guy?"

"Because that someone he knew is _Rowen Galehark_."

I stared at Edward, dumbfounded. "Who is she?"

His eyes widened. "Rowen Galehark? Rumored to be the best lone female thief alive?"

"Doesn't ring any chimes."**[1]**

He sighed. "You have a lot to learn, Bella. Now, come on, run the course again."

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I stared out at the lifeless countryside, trees and grass shadowed by the blanket of clouds in the sky. The smell of damp dirt from the early rain filled up the carriage as Edward and I headed to Maltore to meet that knife seller. The thing about our city was that it was split into two parts: Sentsar, where the rich and their workers lived, and Maltore, where pawners, merchants, and emerging thieves dwelled. I had only been in Maltore once before when I was five to buy a special silk my mother needed for one of her quilts, or rugs, or clothing, or something else I can't remember. Since then, it had not changed much; the streets were still quite dirty, and very unkempt.

I turned to Edward, who was sitting in the cube-like carriage next to me. He was wearing a black blazer, long pants, and white gloves. I had nothing to say to him, so the short journey was lived in silence.

When we reached the Maltore square, Edward paid the escorter, and we went the rest of the journey on foot. My initial impression of Maltore was completely changed when we reached the interior. It was in a greatly worse state than what I remembered. The air smelled of damp soil and urine. A woman, coming out of her house, opened a barrel to find tons of white maggots. She jumped back, threw the lid back on, and dashed back into her house.

I realized that we were at our destination. In front of use was a wooden structure that appeared to be a house.

We went in, and a _clang_ of a bell sounded above us. The walls of the inside were racked with knives behind glass cases. It was quite rare for glass to be in a poor town like Maltore, but I guessed it was for safety.

While I was examining the interior, there was a flash of metal, and suddenly there were three knives stabbed into the wall beside and above my head. Suddenly in front of me was a shabby man in around his 40s, supporting a smile of yellow teeth, a hand outstretched. "Lahzed Croathen."

Edward ignored the hand, and pulled out the knives next to my head. I suddenly realized I was frozen in place. I relaxed, and watched Edward examine the knife. "We know. Do you expect people to buy this knife?"

Croathen dropped his head, and his eyebrows furrowed into a frown. "Why, yes."

"Huh. The handle of this is fit so that it would be easier for the user to go about daily uses, which is what this knife appears to be used for. However, there is one small flaw." Edward held the knife up to eye level. "The blade is perpendicular to the flat sides."

I watched Croathen's jaw tighten.

"So if I were to cut my arm, nothing would happen." He slid the blade against his wrist, and I winced, waiting for blood. However it only left a scratch.

"Instead, it is pointed at the top, so that it will stab into things easily," he pulled back his sleeve farther, and poked into his skin, producing a bead of blood, "Which was clearly demonstrated when you nearly killed Bella."

At the mention of my name, Croathen's head turned to me, an animalistic smile appearing on his face. "And who might this lady—"

"None of your business," Edward snapped, his words running together. "So why are you selling second-rate knives?"

I tensed up. If we were trying to get this guy to tell us what he knew, insulting him was not the way to go. It was a grueling minute of waiting for his reaction, and when I got it, it was the exact opposite of what I had imagined.

Cloathen started laughing, and patted Edward on the shoulder. "Are you a knife seller as well?"

Edward brushed his shoulder, and straightened his blazer. "No, but I've dealt with enough weapons to know how they work."

When Cloathen calmed down, he smiled at us again. "I'm guessing that you didn't come here to examine my knives."

"No," Edward stated. "What do you know about Helen Fordan?"

His smile was dropped in a second, and was replaced with a menacing look of suspicion. "Why should I trust you?"

"So you do know her," Edward said, pacing. "We both know that you know that that's her real name. If you tell us what you know, truthfully, we'll be on our way, and you will never hear from us again. If you don't, I'm guessing you don't want your shop be shut down because, I'm assuming, you don't have a warrant."

He snarled. "Blackmail. Is there no good soul in the world?" He sighed. "Come."

We followed him into a separate room behind the counter. Inside there were crates of knife parts and a bed. He sat down on the bed, while we settled on two overturned crates. "What do you want to know?" he asked.

I cut in, "Sorry for my ignorance, but who is Helen Fordan?"

"Helen Fordan is the real name of Rowen Galehark," Edward stated. "She changed her name so that she wouldn't stand out because of her pre-regime name **[2]**."

Feeling out of the conversation, I dumbly lied, "Okay."

Edward turned back to Cloathen. "What is her involvement with the Arthemena?"

Cloathen rolled his eyes. "She doesn't think its worth stealing. It's either a rumor, or a joke. Seeing as nobody knows about it, it'll take too much effort to try to find a painting that nobody even knows what it's of. And she figures it would be more interesting letting it be stolen, and then track down the thief herself."

"Yes," Edward continued, "But who is the thief she's after? The one who _is_ trying to steal the Arthemena?"

Cloathen sighed. "He lives in the city of Ferobane. His name is … Jasper Hale."

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Edward closed the door to the knife shop, and we were met with a light rain. "Let's go, Bella."

I was about to follow him, but I hesitated. "You go on, I'll catch up to you."

Edward stopped. "_What?_"

"Just _go_, Cullen." I turned on my heel and opened the door again. I was met with the furious face of Cloathen, and another attack of three knives. This time I ducked.

"Don't worry, Lahzen," I said. "I won't blackmail you into anything. I just have a question to ask."

He walked around the counter, and leaned against it. "What is it?" he grunted.

"Why are you like this? Why is _all_ of Maltore like this? What made this place so…"

"Despicable? Pathetic? Horrendous?" he snapped.

I stepped a bit closer to him. "I was looking for secluded. But why is everyone so into themselves?"

He stepped towards me so close that I could smell his foul breath. "It's the reason why everything is so horrible in this country."

My heart started beating in fear. "What?"

"The Volturi," he hissed.

I was frozen for a moment, and once I was out of my stasis, I fled out of the shop.

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**Hey! That was a good chapter, in my point of view. Think differently? Then review! Thanks! Have a great week/month/year (until when ever I post the next chapter)!**

**[1] "Doesn't ring any chimes" comes from the term, "Doesn't ring any bells".**

**[2] Pre-regime names are like common names today, like Haley, John, Mark, Katie, Kevin, etc. Regime names are the ones that sound a little, you know, medieval (seeing as this is a futuristic medieval setting). So, for example, Knowell (Bella's real name in this story), Lahzen, Rowen, Larkor, Benedicten, etc.**

**Thanks,**

**Silvore.**

**P.S. I was thinking about making YouTube videos about my stories, and for now, primarily this one, but I'm not quite sure. Give me your thoughts in PMs and Reviews. And if you're thinking you want to do this for your stories, please, by all means, go ahead, but just tell me, because I want to view those! Review!**


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